Jack and Celtic fork lore... what?!?
by Sweetwater Gal
Summary: Once upon a time, Fi sees her ever so logical big brother, Jack, in the New Age section of a book store... what's wrong with this picture?


Title: JACK AND CELTIC FOLK LORE… WHAT?!?  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, I don't own the characters of "So Weird"… except I do wish to own Jack and Clu, but hey, only in my dreams. Anyway, I only own one brief character. Other than that, R&R but most importantly, enjoy!  
  
===================================================  
  
They were just checking out a local book store-slash-café restaurant. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just spending a normal afternoon, just the four of them, shopping and cruising for new reading materials.   
  
One of the girls was checking out the science fiction novels. As she turned around to check up on someone, she gasped at what she saw before her. Specifically at the sight before her deep within the New Age section.  
  
Fiona Phillips had seen some weird things before… but this one definitely takes the big wedding cake.  
  
"Fi, please tell me that I'm not the only one seeing this." She heard her friend, and roommate, Annie Thelan whisper.  
  
"Believe me, Annie, I'm as stunned as you are."  
  
Jack Phillips felt two pairs of eyes staring at him. He turned around from the book he was looking at intently, and found his own eyes on the Paranormal-mint twins. He gazed at one girl to the next, confused by their state of shock. "What?" He then glanced at his best friend, Clu Bell. "Do I have something on my face? Why are they looking at me that way?"  
  
"Dude, I think it's because of that book you're holding." Clu whispered back, a bit less shock than the girls themselves.  
  
"What?" He looked down at the paperback, "So it's a book on Celtic myths and folk lore, what's the big deal?"  
  
Fi and Annie walked up to the two boys, Fiona grabbing the book from her big brother's hands. "Well, for one thing, you *are* my brother Jack, aren't you? Jack Phillips?"  
  
He sighed, taking the book back from her. "I'm glad you know my name…" Jack then smiled slyly at her, "And you are?"  
  
"Funny." Fi replied dryly. "Which brings me back to my point. Since you are Jack Phillips, since when is 'Jack Phillips' interested in things like—"  
  
Annie then snatched the book from Jack's hands, reading the title out loud, " 'Celtic myths and folk tales: Fact or Fiction?'"  
  
The young blond tossed the paperback at Fiona, who continued, "See, this is something more in our," indicating to her and Annie, "Department."  
  
Jack sighed again, rolling his eyes at the two. He removed the book from Fiona's grasp, "You know, I would at least expect you two to not question me on picking this certain type of reading material. I mean, I thought that you two of all people would support my newly found interest in something you both are so passionate about… but I guess I had too much high expectations." With that final note, he took the paperback and headed towards the cash register.  
  
Annie and Fi looked at each other, deeply stunned by his speech. Clu shook his head, "Man, the guy's right."  
  
"What?!" They both exclaimed.  
  
Annie turned to Fiona, ignoring Clu's comment. "I'm not buying his whole total 180 act, Fi. Are you?"  
  
"Nope. I know my brother like the back of my hand, and more. Something is definitely up with that boy."  
  
Clu chuckled, then said, "You two are certainly something. Can't you guys accept that maybe, just maybe, he's showing some interest in something you two are into? I would think that might be a point on your side."  
  
The two girls glanced at each other, briefly considering what Clu said. Turning to him, responding simultaneously, "Not buying it."  
  
"Okay, I bought my book. You guys ready to go?" Jack returned, the newly purchased reading material in his hand.  
  
Clu indicated that he still needed to pay for his surfing book, while Annie and Fiona still wanted to pick at least one sci-fi novel each.   
  
"Alright…" Jack then stopped, his eyes averted towards something behind them, outside the store. A small smile appeared on his face as he finished with, "So, why don't I wait outside for you guys, 'kay?"  
  
Before the girls or Clu could respond, Jack skipped on out of there.   
  
"Whoa, that was weird." Clu said, scratching his head as he watched his buddy leave.  
  
"No…" Fiona smiled, sharing the same knowing look with Annie. "That was a clue, Clu."   
  
"Oh yeah." Annie grinned, both girls focusing their attention on their favorite male Scully.  
  
"Guys, I'm going to go pay for my—" The young man began, but was interrupted by the Mulder twins.  
  
"Look! There he is!" Annie exclaimed, pointing outside.  
  
Annie and Fiona spied on Jack from behind one of the large book displays, placed almost between the entrance and the big glass display window. Clu sighed, then reluctantly joined them.  
  
Jack was just standing outside, his eyes glancing back and forth between the paperback itself and something by the store's exit.  
  
It was then that the trio saw what Jack was keeping an eye on… make that *who* Jack was looking out for.  
  
A young blond woman, about Jack's age, was walking towards his way. She had just finished talking with a female friend of hers, a book in her hand.   
  
Fiona recognized the title of the woman's book, and she grinned the biggest grin ever made. "I knew it! Check out that girl's book!"  
  
Annie and Clu gazed at the title, a big light bulb automatically being turned on. " 'Celtic myths and folk tales: Fact or Fiction?'!"  
  
"I knew there had to be a logical explanation for Jack's illogical behavior." Annie said.  
  
"C'mon, guys. Let's show my brother on how *supportive* we could be about his new interest in the magic and paranormal." Fiona smirked, calculating a very wicked plan.  
  
====================================================  
  
"Not many guys I know are into Celtic legends." The girl, Amber, beamed at Jack. "I'm impressed."  
  
"Well…" Jack smiled shyly. "Not many girls I know are into these type of weird, but cool, stuff."  
  
Jack led Amber into the adjacent café next to the book store. As they were about to sit down, Amber began to make a comment, when…  
  
"Hey, Jack!"  
  
Jack looked up, thrown off by the voice. A bit nervous, "Uh, hey, sis."  
  
Fiona walked up to her brother, a couple of books in her arms. She looked over at Amber, then smiled brightly. "Hi! I'm Fiona, Jack's baby sister."  
  
Jack grinned nervously at Amber, "Uh, Fiona meet Amber. Amber, my sister Fiona."  
  
"Hi Fiona." Amber returned the warm smile. Her eyes then spied the various titles in Fi's arms. "Wow." She breathed in admiration. Looking back at Jack, "The love for the paranormal must run in the family."  
  
Jack chuckled nervously. He then eyed his sister suspiciously. He could feel himself start to sweat even more as soon as Annie and Clu entered the scene.  
  
Fi beamed at Amber, indicating towards her stack of books. "Well, actually, my brother here is more of an alien-finding fanatic than I am. Isn't that right, oh big brother of mine?" She winked at him, obviously enjoying every minute of this game of hers.  
  
Jack struggled the urge to strangle his sister. Gritting his teeth, straining a smile, "Of… course…"  
  
Fiona looked up, right on cue, to see Annie and Clu joining them. "Oh, hey guys!" Turning to Amber, "Amber, these are our friends, Annie and Clu. Guys, this is Amber. She's a new friend of Jack's. And," Eyeing Amber's book, "I'm just guessing that she also enjoys reading about supernatural things like my super cool big brother, Jack, here."   
  
Jack gazed up towards the heavens, praying for a break.   
  
Fiona suddenly shoved the books into his hands. Grinning at him innocently, though her eyes were shining, "Oh, I almost forgot! These are the books you wanted for your…" She then lowered her voice, leaning in towards Amber, "Alien autopsy research."  
  
"My what?!" Jack exclaimed, almost letting the books slip out of his hands. His eye bugged out for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure when he saw the intrigue in Amber's eyes.  
  
"Alien autopsy? How cool is that!" She proclaimed, actually sincere.  
  
Annie and Clu shared this look, while Fiona also gave this girl the once-over. She glanced back at her two friends, giving them the exact same "Is she for real?" look. In response, they merely shrugged.  
  
Jack, who still seemed to be blinded by her golden looks, actually blushed. "Yeah… I think that aliens are cool too."   
  
Annie, Clu, and Fi couldn't take this anymore, especially Fiona. She needed to finish her little plan soon, before Amber's trance on Jack disappears.   
  
"Great!" Fiona snatched a couple of the books back from her brother. She handed the rest to Clu and Annie, still smiling innocently at Amber and Jack. "Well… since these are the books you wanted, and since you're busy having this *enlightening* conversation with Amber here… why don't you give me your money and Annie, Clu, and I will pay for them. Agreed?"  
  
Jack was about to hand them his wallet, when his eyes blinked, snapping himself out of it. He looked at them, realization dawning. Growling, "Guys…" The lad was about to go "Adult" on them when…  
  
"Jack?"  
  
The young man whipped his head back, facing Amber's concerned, and extremely beautiful, eyes. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Yeah, bro…" Fi held back a smile, trying to look just as concern, "What's wrong?"  
  
Jack turned from Fiona to Amber, Amber to Fiona. Finally, with what seemed like a mere Disney commercial break, Jack sighed and reluctantly handed Fiona his wallet.   
  
Fiona contained her delight giggle, especially as her hand made contact with Jack's wallet. Unfortunately, she gulped as she spied the hard look in his eyes as he gritted his teeth and said, "Thank you, sister dear, for *paying* my *books* for me."  
  
"Uh…" Smiling weakly, "No prob, Jack!" Turning to her friends, "C'mon guys."  
  
As she shoved her friends towards the register, Clu whispered to Fi, "You are soooo dead."  
  
"You think?" She said.  
  
===================================================  
  
TEN MINUTES LATER… ON THE BUS  
  
Fiona and Annie were glancing through their books in the girls' room, while Clu was with them, at Fi's laptop, surfing the net, when…  
  
"Fiona!"  
  
The trio stopped what they were doing, and looked at each other nervously.   
  
SLAM!!!  
  
They gazed at the door, seeing a very, VERY steamed Jack Phillips.   
  
Annie, Clu, and Fi stood up, facing him. Before Fi could open her mouth, Annie stepped up front.   
  
"Jack, wait. Look, it was my idea, not Fi's okay? I just thought…"  
  
"Annie…" Jack growled, causing the young woman to wince. "Out."  
  
She turned to Fi, looking at her as if she was unsure whether or not to leave. Fiona smiled warmly at her friend, as if assuring her that it was okay. Annie returned the smile, then made her way slowly outside, but not before turning to Jack, "Jack, listen…"  
  
"Out!"  
  
"Going…" She yelped, quickly out the door.  
  
Clu stood tall, keeping himself in front of Fiona. To Jack, "Listen, bro. Don't be too hard on Fi, alright?"  
  
"Clu…" He snarled, causing his friend to flinch, but not to leave.  
  
"Jack, you're making too big a deal about the trick. And, I'll have you know, that it was *my* idea. Not Fi's."  
  
"Did you know, Clu," Jack began, his eyes still threatening, "That it seriously takes a long, long, *long* time to break in a new best friend? Think about it."  
  
Clu gulped at his young friend. He knew that he could take Jack on, but for some reason, this time, he couldn't. Maybe it was the rabid look in his eyes…  
  
Gazing back helplessly at Fi, truly not wanting to leave her yet not wanting to get killed himself, "Fi…"  
  
She patted him on the back, smiling sincerely at him, "It's okay, Clu. I think I can handle Jack."  
  
"You sure? I mean, I can…" But he was silenced and assured by a single kiss on the cheek by Fiona.  
  
"Thanks for trying to be my white knight, Clu. But I need to handle this battle on my own."  
  
Clu nodded. He eyed Jack, "Go easy on her, man."  
  
"Leave." Was his only reply.  
  
Fiona watched as Clu left the room. When he was gone, she faced the lion's den that was her big brother.  
  
She then opened her mouth, and a whole flood of excuses poured out. "Look, Jack. First off, I didn't intend to buy the whole stack of books. Just a couple of them…"  
  
Jack eyed the new books on her bed, raising an eyebrow. Fi sheepishly replied, "Okay, more than a couple of them… but… but… but I should be upset with you!"  
  
"Me?!" He scoffed.  
  
"Yes, you! I mean, here Annie and I thought you had turned a new leaf… but oh no! You only showed interest in it because a pretty blond was interested in it! Shame on you, Jack Phillips!"  
  
"Fi…" He began, but was cut off by her ranting.  
  
"Don't 'Fi' me, buster! Okay, so what if I embarrassed you in front of Amber? I think I saved your butt! See, you would have eventually slipped up on your own. And you want to know why?"  
  
"Fiona…"   
  
"Because your knowledge of the supernatural is as wide as an ant! You wouldn't even know a leprechaun from a troll!"  
  
Jack sighed, rolling his eyes as his sister continued to rant, rave, and pace. Finally, he decided to do what he had to do.  
  
"… Not to mention what would have happened if she discovered your ruse…" Fiona turned to Jack, and immediately halted in mid-step. She watched as her brother gathered up the books she bought with his money. "Jack? What are you doing?"  
  
"What does it look like to you, Fiona? I'm picking up the books that you bought for me and taking it to my room."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
He stopped, staring at her innocently. "What?" Sighing, then actually giving her a sincere look. "Listen, Fi, I know what I tried to pull of with Amber was wrong, but that still doesn't change the fact that I maybe interested in all this abnormal stuff you and Annie are into. And that's a big *maybe*."   
  
"So you're actually going to read all those books?"  
  
Shrugging, with a Jack Phillips trademark smile on his face, "What do you think?"  
  
As he left the room, New Age books in his arms, Fiona grinned, laughing to herself. "Jack Phillips into the supernatural? Now *that* is so weird."   
  
  
  
  



End file.
